LCB rejects Lancashire League expansion proposals

Craig Salmon

The Lancashire League’s expansion plan has received the thumbs-down from the game’s governing body in the county.

A total of 18 clubs throughout the county, including Chorley, Preston, LeThe Lancashire League’s expansion plan has received the thumbs-down from the game’s governing body in the county.yland, Blackpool, Fleetwood and St Annes, applied to join an expanded Lancashire League with promotion and relegation.

But the LCB say they cannot back the proposal in its present form.

Therefore the future of club cricket in the county after 2016 is no clearer.

The LCB has recommended that the four competitions affected - the Lancashire League, Northern League, Ribblesdale League and Palace Shield – continue to work together to thrash out a new structure.

A statement from the LCB said: “Various proposals and models have been put forward and the LCB/England Cricket Board will share, guide, facilitate discussions to reach an agreement across the leagues, so that the leagues can move this forward.

“The various proposals ultimately see clubs across the Lancashire League, Northern League and Ribblesdale League playing in a structure with promotion and relegation between divisions and we will now meet with the Leagues to agree how clubs can be placed.”

It has been confirmed that the Palace Shield will be kept in the loop.

The statement added: “The LCB’s long term vision for league cricket in the county is to see one division that sits above all the leagues across Lancashire, with promotion from the local league structures into the county-wide division.

In the meantime, the four leagues involved have been offered a meeting on December 23 for further talks to take place. All the leagues will operate as usual during 2016.